Rejuvenate Varthur Lake, Bengaluru

Rejuvenate Varthur Lake, Bengaluru

Bengaluru, also known as the ‘City of Lakes’, earned its name in the sixteenth century, when most of the lakes in Bengaluru were constructed by damming three natural valley systems. Historically, the lakes have been used for drinking water, farming, fishing and recreation. Many locals still depend on the approximately 210 lakes that remain in Bengaluru for their livelihoods, amongst others for fishing, agriculture, flower farming, and harvesting of hyacinth weed.

In the course of urbanisation, expansion and new development has led to significant encroachment on the lakes. Bengaluru is experiencing rapid growth, with a population growing from 5.8 million residents in 2001 to an estimated 12 million residents by 2020. The scale and pace of the transformation from a metro to a mega city has led to loss of breathing space in urban localities and vast expansion into peri-urban areas, with green lands, parks and water bodies giving way to a concrete jungle. Public land has been eaten up by infrastructure and public utilities. Private builders, slum dwellers, industrial complexes and farmers have similarly appropriated lake territory for production, farming and housing. Parts of the lakes have been protected from encroachment in order to fulfil the recreational land requirement by the government. However, many of these lake areas have not been developed or maintained, and are often used for dumping of industrial and domestic waste. Henceforth, the expansion of the city is threatening water security and the ecology and environment in the region, and has led to a significant reduction in the number and size of lakes.

Rodeo is providing technical guidance to its local partner Sensing Local, in the efforts to engage local authorities and stakeholders to develop a quality programme for the rejuvenation of Varthur Lake. The quality programme for Varthur Lake, one of the many lakes in Bengaluru, will serve as a pilot for the development of an overarching quality programme, and plan to halt the negative environmental impact of current development and secure the function of the lakes as green spaces and for livelihoods.

Bengaluru, also known as the ‘City of Lakes’, earned its name in the sixteenth century, when most of the lakes in Bengaluru were constructed by damming three natural valley systems. Historically, the lakes have been used for drinking water, farming, fishing and recreation. Many locals still depend on the approximately 210 lakes that remain in Bengaluru for their livelihoods, amongst others for fishing, agriculture, flower farming, and harvesting of hyacinth weed.

In the course of urbanisation, expansion and new development has led to significant encroachment on the lakes. Bengaluru is experiencing rapid growth, with a population growing from 5.8 million residents in 2001 to an estimated 12 million residents by 2020. The scale and pace of the transformation from a metro to a mega city has led to loss of breathing space in urban localities and vast expansion into peri-urban areas, with green lands, parks and water bodies giving way to a concrete jungle. Public land has been eaten up by infrastructure and public utilities. Private builders, slum dwellers, industrial complexes and farmers have similarly appropriated lake territory for production, farming and housing. Parts of the lakes have been protected from encroachment in order to fulfil the recreational land requirement by the government. However, many of these lake areas have not been developed or maintained, and are often used for dumping of industrial and domestic waste. Henceforth, the expansion of the city is threatening water security and the ecology and environment in the region, and has led to a significant reduction in the number and size of lakes.

Rodeo is providing technical guidance to its local partner Sensing Local, in the efforts to engage local authorities and stakeholders to develop a quality programme for the rejuvenation of Varthur Lake. The quality programme for Varthur Lake, one of the many lakes in Bengaluru, will serve as a pilot for the development of an overarching quality programme, and plan to halt the negative environmental impact of current development and secure the function of the lakes as green spaces and for livelihoods.